Consequences of the War
by dreamer of wings
Summary: This is an alternative ending to Radiant Dawn featuring the bird tribe. I guess you could say the pairing is Naesala x Leanne
1. Chapter 1

Terror had engulfed the hearts of most of the citizens of Tellius for the last years. Families had been shattered by the axes and spears of beorc as well as the claws and talons of the laguz. Fields had been burned and turned into enormous wastelands. Cities had been reduced to empty ruins, haunted by the memories of neighbors and of friends whose lives were forfeited in battle.

Despite this, the people should be grateful, for they did not know the full extent of desolation that the war _could_ have brought. They did not know that they had been turned to stone and that, during that time, their very existence had been threatened. Only a few knew this and they had come to the agreement that they would guard that secret till the end of their days.

But the war was over now, and with it, the life of Naesala.

Oh, how Leanne had worried. She had been refused entrance to the Tower of Guidance and thus she had spent countless of hours walking up and down the streets, twisting her hands in agony and whispering prayers to a goddess that she was not sure existed. Her thoughts had been with her brother Reyson, and the hawk king Tibarn, but above all others they had concerned her long since friend and secret guardian Naesala. For she knew now, in spite of what Reyson and Tibarn believed, that Naesala had always been her friend.

During the four years that had passed since she had been found in Serenes Forest, whenever she had come across him, Naesala might have postured nonchalantly but he had kept a reserved place in his heart hidden away from her and the rest of the world. Unlike Reyson, however, Leanne had uncovered the contents of that hideout and upon doing so she had come to realize how much Naesala in fact cared for her and her brother.

Over the years their somewhat shy conversations had turned into joyful conversations and ethical discussions and as understanding was awakened, so was romance. The latter had taken shape during their last journey to Sienne and it had grown more and more intense with each passing day. Eventually they had reached the tower that they sought out and in the tumult that ruled before the chosen ones were to enter, Naesala and Leanne had secretly sealed their parting with a kiss.

Imagine Leanne's joy when the great stone doors of the tower had opened, when General Ike had led his troops down the steps and when the man that she loved had taken a pause in the opening, searched her out in the crowd and with a smile of relief made his way to her. Leanne had looked at him with proud and glassy eyes, seen him approach, waited for him to take her in his arms and perhaps fly away with her; away from the crowd, away from the beorc city, to a place where they could finally be together.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a muscular arm had grabbed Naesala's neck and snapped it with one swift motion. Naesala had hardly had time to react. His smile had turned into a grin of pain to which his eyes contributed. Leanne had speechlessly reached out a hand for him as he fell to the ground, without so much as a chance to say farewell. In that moment Leanne's heart broke and she too sank down on her knees and cried incessantly in her hands. Despite her desperation she could still make out Tibarn's boisterous voice in the crowd, addressing the corpse of the raven king.

- There, it is better than you deserve, but at least it is over now. Your debt is settled.

Whatever discussions arose between Tibarn and Reyson that evening, Leanne was ignorant of them, for in her distress she left. For good, she thought.


	2. Chapter 2

Twenty years after the war ended.

The Golden Age ruled on the plains and in the skies of Tellius. With three strong beorc sovereigns, one fierce yet humble lion king, one just and considerate dragon king and a mighty hawk king, representing the united bird tribe, it was hard for the people of the different countries not to care for and sympathize with one another. The population prospered and even the Branded, whose numbers had increased greatly over the years, were treated with dignity.

One of the most beautiful places on the continent was considered to be Serenes Forest. The hawks and the ravens took great care of the trees and all that grew in there and even though it did not sparkle with the same life as it had done when the herons inhabited it the forest was a sanctuary of beauty and prosperity. This being said, the bird tribes had long since abandoned their old kingdoms Phoenicis and Kilvas.

King Tibarn ruled wisely, although often advised by Reyson. The two of them had remained friends the entire time. Two other close advisors were of course Janaff and Ulki, without whose help the hawk king never could have kept the order in his country during the first decennia. This was due to the internal feud that the hawks and the ravens clang to. In later years, however, the bitterness had come to an end and peace had finally been achieved.

Reyson had not easily accepted the loss of his beloved sister. Not only because he loved her dearly or because he did not know what had happened to her, but also because he now was the only heron left in Tellius. Even though he did not want to admit it, he had got used to being two, even three when Rafiel was still with them. But Leanne was gone now and Rafiel remained in Hatary together with queen Nailah, who had not yet dared to cross the desert with her people. No, Reyson was troubled by another factor: the repopulation of the heron tribe. Despite the fact that he rarely thought about it he knew that it was of high priority, or else the tribe would die with him.

One of those days when he sat on the high branches of one of his favorite trees outside of the little castle, which had been built for political purpose, and thought about the whereabouts of his sister, Janaff came soaring by. He was in a great hurry and his eyes were wide open in horror and excitement.

- Prince Reyson! Prince Reyson! You can never guess who I have seen!

Reyson waited patiently for his friend to continue, but his roused breathing did not allow him to. Eventually Reyson carefully questioned Janaff.

- No?

- I have seen… I have seen… _him_!

Reyson immediately realized who Janaff was talking about; during the first years since the war had ended Tibarn and his advisors had come to a non-verbal decision to label Naesala "him". This was partly because they felt uncomfortable talking about him, but mostly because they did not wish to stir things up with the ravens by mentioning the name of their deceased king.

Upon hearing this, Reyson was both shocked and disbelieving. It could not be true, could it? He tried to calm Janaff a bit and then bid him enter the castle to talk to Tibarn about it. So they did and they soon had an audience with the king. Ulki was there too. When Janaff had shared his revelation with the others silence ruled. The four friends regarded each other with calculating eyes. Tibarn was the one to break the silence.

- Where do you claim to have seen him, Janaff?

- I was hovering over some treetops in the southern part of the forest when my eyes turned to our old home in Phoenicis. Soon my look traveled to Kilvas and there, not far away from the old castle, I saw him. He flew carelessly across the sky and then took ground somewhere out of my sight.

Janaff stayed silent for a moment, then he added:

- Could it be his ghost haunting the place?

- I hardly believe that, Tibarn answered after considering Janaff's tale. But I do believe it is worth paying those old rocks a visit.

No sooner said than done, King Tibarn informed his general about a personal mission to the south and left him in charge. He brought no others than Reyson, Janaff and Ulki with him. They flew all day and reached the sea by nightfall. There they rested until the morning came with a silvery haze and they continued.

At one point of the journey Janaff unexpectedly stopped flying and yelled:

- I saw a ghost! I swear to you, I just saw a ghost!

- What? Where? Reyson inquired.

- At Castle Kilvas! It was hard to make out because of the mist, but it was all white and moved spookily.

- It cannot be a ghost, Ulki informed. I can hear wings flapping in the distance. Very delicate wings.

Reyson considered what they had said but he kept his thoughts to himself. No matter how unlikely it seemed, he almost suspected a miracle when they reached their destination. Tibarn kept on flying resolutely and ordered the others to do the same.

At noon they reached the castle. The four of them perched on a nearby mountain to get a good view of it and also to make sure they did not fly into a trap of some kind. Without uttering a word, they waited.

Suddenly a raven came soaring down from another peak. Its black wings were spread out in preparation of the landing. As the raven closed in on the balcony, it transformed. The three hawks and the heron held their breath. Slowly and gently the transformation uncovered the shape of a young man dressed in a black outfit, with huge dark wings and with blue hair kept in place by a ponytail. When he had landed the raven took a quick look around his shoulder and the unannounced visitors could make out his face; dark eyes, pointy nose and slim chin.

- That is not Naesala, Reyson stated lowly. They are terrifyingly alike, but this man is much younger.

The others did not have time to say anything before a new individual showed up, an individual that made them all gasp in surprise. From inside the dark castle a young girl with sparkling white wings came. Her hair was golden and her green eyes smiled gently at raven.

- Leanne! Reyson, Tibarn and Janaff whispered with one mouth, but Ulki, who was able to make out the girl's words, hushed them and said:

- She says: "Welcome back, brother."

- Brother? Reyson hissed. What's going on here?

Without saying anything else, Reyson took wing and started flying down to the siblings on the balcony. Tibarn tried to hinder him at first, but his curiosity got the better of him and he joined him, followed by Janaff and Ulki.

When the raven and the heron perceived the approaching birds they backed off, frightened, and called for their mother. Reyson and his friends had barely reached the balcony when yet another person showed up in the doorway and this time Reyson was not mistaken when he disbelievingly called out:

- Leanne!

It truly was her. Dressed in her old white gown, although slightly threadbare, she stood there with her golden hair dazzling in the sun and her wings covered in white feathers that carefully followed the courses of the wind. Her face expressed nothing but shock. The expression soon shifted, though, and when Reyson called out her name another time she rushed passed the children and threw herself in the arms of her brother. She did not cry, but she knew well that the tears were not far away.


	3. Chapter 3

Tibarn was speechless. So many years had passed since the events outside the Tower of Guidance and it would be a lie to say that he had not often reflected on his actions that day. His considerations had been of a great variety. Sometimes he felt the righteousness flowing in his veins, when he recalled that he had put an end to someone whose very existence was a stain on reality, someone who had cheated and lied and betrayed and killed… The fury that had fueled him when he snapped Naesala's neck had begun to grow ever since he first met that cocky raven king and it had reached its peak when he found out about the clandestine attack on his people. But what of the aftermath of his actions? He had expected a sense of peace or satisfaction, and that he had earned, but only for a short time. That is, until it was clear that the fragile, innocent princess Leanne had left in her despair never to be found again. Reyson had locked himself away for days, refusing to speak with him. Tibarn knew that he grieved the loss of his sister, but he suspected that a small ounce of it was due to the passing of his traitorous, but none the less, friend. And so his reflections took a new course. He _had_ acted rashly when he killed the raven king and the peace he had experienced was far from long-lasting. It seemed afterwards that all he had achieved was to break up an already broken family.

Yet here she was, Leanne, the long-lost princess of the heron tribe, and with her were the proofs the goodness that she alone had sensed in Naesala. But this was not about Naesala, Tibarn thought; this was about two innocent children who, because of his actions, were doomed to go through life fatherless. The guilt that made its way to his heart when he looked at them was more than he had bargained for when he coldheartedly murdered their father.

After a short time, Leanne let go of her brother and backed off. She looked each and every one of them in the eyes and when she came to Tibarn she almost immediately looked away. Tibarn felt another sense of guilt. Instead Leanne went back to the children, placed one hand on each of their shoulders and sighed deeply before she began to talk.

- So, you have found me, at last. And I trust you have already guessed who these children are. Their names are Lillia and Naesala. I am their mother and their father was King Naesala. Due to the rash actions of the hawk king, they never got to meet him.

An awkward silence followed. Leanne held her head high as she observed them, one by one. While Janaff and Ulki's faces expressed only shock, her brother's eyes were infused with compassion. She seemed to turn her attention to Tibarn with reluctance, but the hawk king could not bring himself to meet her eyes. Instead he stared at the heron girl and raven boy in front of him, forcing himself to visualize their emotions. He had never felt this kind of guilt before and all he knew was that he wanted to pain to go on; he wanted to be punished for what he had done to them.

Tibarn knew, though, that sooner or later he would have to confront Leanne. Feeling that he wanted to be alone with her when he apologized, or whatever he was going to do in his desperate attempt to make this right, he turned to her.

- May I speak with you alone? he asked moderately.

Leanne seemed to have expected that, for she nodded with the simple confirmation:

- Yes.

The cold in her voice did not go unnoticed by Tibarn and he suppressed a regretful sigh. Then Leanne turned to her children and addressed them with a whole new voice, a voice filled with love and warmth.

- This man here, she signed at Reyson, is your uncle. Will you wait here with him for a while?

Little Lillia hesitated at first but when her brother nodded and looked curiously at Reyson she agreed to let go of her mother's hand.

Without further conversation Tibarn and Leanne entered to castle. The inside was exactly as Tibarn remembered it. Not that he had been there many times, but the feeling was primarily the same: dark and cold, only a bit more desolate. His look travelled to the empty throne which posed in front of some ragged old tapestries at the other end of the hall. He could almost perceive an image, taken from his subconscious, of the former raven king sitting on that chair, leaning back casually and smirking with a mischievous gleam lurking in his eyes. For some unexplainable reason Tibarn got a lump in his throat when he recalled that he was never again going to see that man.

As much as he felt he deserved this pain, Tibarn wanted to get it over with, so he turned to Leanne. She was standing right next to him with her arms crossed and a stern look in her eyes. In lack of things to say to express his regret, Tibarn began to stumble over his words.

- If I had known… Leanne, I am so—

- Save it, Leanne snubbed.

The ferocity in her voice took Tibarn by surprise and rendered him silent. Leanne gathered herself with a few deep breaths before she inexorably fixed her eyes upon him.

- It has never been in my nature to hold a grudge, she began, but what you did to me… what you took from me… Twenty years have passed and I have not yet found it in my heart to forgive you. Believe me, I have wanted to!

Leanne made a pause, rather for herself than for the purpose of letting her words sink in in the one she was accusing. Tibarn's look did not falter, but his heart grew heavier with every word. When she continued talking, Leanne's voice was filled with a stain of despair and the tears did not seem to be far away.

- I never knew what it was like waking up every morning with the flames of injustice burning in my very soul. To always expect the worst of everyone and to feel constantly burdened by the weight of prejudice. I was not myself anymore…

Leanne made a second pause and this time she shed the tears. Before Tibarn could say anything she carried on.

- My very existence was torn apart and I thought I would lose myself to all the hatred. I had nothing… no one to turn to. Or at least no one that I felt I could turn to. But then a miracle happened!

Suddenly Leanne's face shone with a bright smile.

- I realized that I was pregnant. That I was carrying _his_ child!

Her change of attitude almost increased Tibarn's state of depression. To think that after all he had done to her, be that unconsciously or not, she still stood by the goodness in life.

- They saved me, Leanne continued happily, with tears running patiently down her cheeks. Or should I say that he saved me? Even from beyond the grave, Naesala sent me one last message of love and hope.

With those words, Leanne seemed to be done. She dried her tears with the back of her hand and waited for Tibarn to speak up. The hawk king however was ignorant of what he should say. Nothing he could think of would suffice to make up for even a fraction of the misery that he had caused the heron princess. Eventually he settled with the most basic line, sensing that he could come up with nothing better.

- I cannot ask you to forgive me, Leanne. What I did was thoughtless and selfish. Just know that I am sorry for it.

Leanne did not answer immediately. She kept looking him in the eye, as if she tried to figure out something. Recalling the herons' ability to read minds and see through the soul, Tibarn decided to drop all of his defenses, giving Leanne full access to his feelings. A change of expression came upon Leanne's face in that moment and she began to smile again. She took a step forward and laid a tender hand on Tibarn's arm.

- I will always hate what you did, she said in a low voice, but I no longer want to hold you in contempt for it. Please accept my forgiveness.

Tibarn almost flinched at her kindness. A thousand reasons for why she should not forgive him pierced his mind in the work of an instant, but then he recalled who he was interacting with. This was Leanne; purity and goodness, selflessness and forgiveness personified; the one who had not shunned a traitor when everyone else turned their back on him. It would be disgraceful to dismiss her request. With that in mind, and with Leanne's expectant face in front of him, Tibarn let out a deep sigh before he sincerely said:

- I do accept your forgiveness.


	4. Epilogue

Leanne followed her brother and the rest of the company back to Serenes Forest. The return of the heron princess brought much joy to the united bird tribe and the news of her children merely increased their happiness. Soon after the news of who their father was were made public, the country faced quite a few inner disturbances, but these were effectively quenched by the king's closest advisors. In the end, both Naesala and Lillia were treated with highest respect from hawks and ravens alike.

One time Reyson asked his sister if she had intended to stay away forever. Leanne had laughed and explained that the only reason for why she had not returned earlier was because she had not felt comfortable crossing the ocean with her "little nestlings". Reyson was not convinced, but he decided not to push the subject any further.

Naesala grew up to become a reflection of his father, in posture as well as manner. They were as similar as a father and son could possibly be, given they had never known each other. The only remarkable difference was that the son was a bit more popular among the hawks.

Throughout the years Leanne taught Lillia many a galdr and soon, by the united effort of mother and child, the forest was once again filled with life and music.

Every once in a while, when her children were sleeping peacefully and the whole forest bathed in the silvery moonlight, Leanne would leave her abode for a nocturnal flight. She would shed silent tears for her beloved friend Naesala, whom she knew would forevermore be the one and only keeper of her heart.


End file.
